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The Callejón
de Huaylas is a narrow valley nestled between Peru's Cordillera Negro and
the Cordillera Blanco. The Cordillera Blanco is perhaps the most impressive
range of mountains in all of South America, boasting more than 50 peaks
in excess of 5,700 meters in its 120 mile length. The Callejón's
main city is Huaraz, and it attracts an international mix of climbers and
trekkers. It is also the staging point for those wishing to visit the archaeological
site of the 3000 year old Chavin cult at Chavin de Huantar. Huaraz has
been devestated several times in the past century, and its uninspired architecture
reflects that fact. The worst of these events-- and perhaps the worst natural
disaster in Peru's history--was an earthquake in May of 1970. The quake
took some 70,000 lives, most of them in the Callejón. Huaraz lost
more than half of its 30,000 residents and the town of Yungay about 35
miles north was similarly devastated.
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Today at the site of
the original town of Yungay all that remains are these gardens at left
and a few memorials. At right, a statue of Christ tops a hilltop cemetary
and memorial to the 1970 disaster. In the background, Peru's tallest peak
Huascaran is shrouded in clouds.
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Later that day the clouds
parted enough to show the baren spot on the side of Huascaran. In the center
foreground is a replica of a chapel that existed before the quake. The
bare spot represents a chunk of snow and ice of several thousand square
meters and nearly 10 meters deep that was dislodged by a quake that measured
7.7 on the richter scale. Scientest estimate that the one million metric
ton mass of ice reached speeds of 350 kilometers per hour as it descended
more than 1 kilometer in altitude covering the 7 kilometer distance to
the town in less than 3 minutes--carrying mud rock and debris with it.
The towns 18,ooo inhabitants had no chance to respond. There were 92 survivors.
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Above is a telephoto
view of part of the scar some 5 miles away.
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